An elegant sophisticated Speyside with the most complex aroma of any malt. Astonishingly fragrant with sweetish notes and a smoky saltiness on the finish. Complexity married to such refinement is not easily found.

This superb richly sherried single malt is matured for at least 12 years in a combination of the finest Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. Non chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at 43%, The GlenDronach 12 Year Old original is a sweet, creamy dram.

The richly layered Glenfiddich 15 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky is innovatively matured in three types of oak cask: sherry, bourbon and new oak, before being married in a handcrafted Solera vat that is never emptied, but is always kept at least half full creating a deliciously harmonious and intense whisky.

The nose is full of dessert wines, a little fruitiness with a good barley sweetness. The palate is quite full with more dessert wine notes, but with cereal notes and barley, a touch of malty spice and berry fruits with good oaky tannins and little herbal notes. The finish is long with a good oaked note and more noble rot.

It's been over a decade since we've revisited the Balvenie range. From the 12 Year Old, right up to the venerable 30 year old expression, the house style emerges as one of the lightest and most delicate to be found from Speyside with almost no peat evident. 'Doublewood' gains its character from maturation in two woods, transferred from traditional x-Bourbon American oak to a Sherry oak casks for its final maturation. It's sometimes described as the classic, "essential" expression in Balvenie’s core range. From a 30ml sample, the nose is lifted with vanilla, dilute honey and dried fruits. The entry is featherweight, unfolding into a medium-weight dram with moderate flavours of dried fruit and a warm mouthfeel. An aftertaste of dried grass and drying oak sustains a little prickle. All up, this is uncomplicated and typical of the distillery style, but even at 12 years old, Doublewood still tastes surprisingly young. 40% Alc./Vol.

Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt is typical Islay (eye-la). Light gold colour with exceptional balance and depth on the nose. The aroma is a beguiling mix of toffee and chocolate sweetness, cinnamon spice, Fresh citrus and floral notes of white wine are evident, as are melon, pear drops and a gentle creaminess. There is also fresh phenolics of seaspray and smoked fish. Hickory and coffee emerge on the finish.

Best balanced of the Tomintoul range with the fruity character of the spirit in perfect balance with the wood character from the cask.

Showcasing the more rugged side of Glenglassaugh, this smoky expression offers a satisfying combination of sweet peat and umami. Sherry and port wine casks bring notes of treacle, dark chocolate and spice, while savoury undertones bring to mind beach barbecues and coastal breeze.

Lindores Abbey is the officially recognised site of the first recorded distillation of Scotch whisky. It was back in 1494 that King James IV commissioned Brother John Cor at Lindores Abbey to make aqua vitae with eight bolls of malt. For more than 100 years, the preservation of the ruined abbey has fallen to Drew McKenzie-Smith and his family. Several years ago he learned of the abbey’s significance to the industry after visiting a website called Connoisseur Scotland . Further inspiration came when he was shown a copy of the late Michael Jackson’s book, ' Scotland and Its Whiskies .' In it, Jackson wrote of Lindores, “For the whisky lover it is a pilgrimage”. Following fifteen years of careful planning, construction work began on a new distillery that would not only capitalise on this whisky connection but also provide the means with which to preserve the abbey for future generations. In 2017, after five centuries of silence, the stills at Lindores Abbey began flowing again. There are actually two releases now in Australia: Lindores MCDXCIV and the MCDXCIV Commemorative First Release. They're essentially the same liquid, distinguished by a subtle notation on the label. Both come aged in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and STR red wine barriques from Burgundy. Both are three and a half year old Lowlanders. You might expect Lindores to be on the lighter side, however it's more like a young Speysider, nicely balanced and not shy on flavour. There's even a nod to Linkwood on the nose where the aromas show surprising weight; Cream tea biscuits, pear drops, light beeswax, cocoa and citrus are echoed with impressive purity, depth and texture of the palate. A fine astringency checks the length, but it's auspicious as far as inaugural releases go - all that's needed is more time to add further layers of complexity. 46% Alc./Vol. Tasted from a 15ml sample.

Don't be fooled by the nose into thinking this is a delicate and gentle Highlander, Glenfarclas is a brute at close quarters! Layers of flavour just keep coming and it is a true pleasure to savour.